Advertising device.



PATENTED JULY 28, 1903.

J D. SMITH. ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1992.

2 SHEETS-SHEET NO MODEL.

0 O D O O In L'QPHPM m g3 gfizv'erzior 55/3761]. dm J m, efly,

No. 734,982. PATENTED JULY 28, 1903..

v .T. D. SMITH.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ivo. 734,982.

UNirnn STATES Patented July 28, 1903. I

PATENT OFFICE.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,982, dated Julyv28, 1903.

Application filed September 27, 1902. Serial No. 125,080. (No model-l Toail whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bonham, in the county of Fannin and State of Texas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Advertising Devices, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and usef ulimprovements inadvertising devices of the kind employing a traveling web or sheet, andhas for its general object to provide a simple and compact device ofthis character and one that may be economically manufactured.

Specific objects of the invention are to provide an improved means foractuating the advertising web or sheet, to provide means forautomatically taking up slack in the said web or sheet in the movementin either direction thereof, to provide means for automaticallyreversing the direction of movement of the web, and to provide improvedmeans for automatically causing the movement of the advertising-sheet tocease at predetermined intervals in order to display the advertisementsthereon.

In order that my invention maybe fully un derstood, I have illustratedthe same in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a rearelevation of the complete device except for an inclosing casing, whichfor the purpose of better illustration has been omitted. Fig. 2 is anend elevation looking toward the left of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a centralvertical section of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of thefollowers. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the reversing-arms. Fig. 6is a face view of the clutch member at oneend of the sliding sleeve.Fig. 7 is a similar view of the cooperating sprocketwhcel. Fig. Sis aview in elevation of the drive-shaft with the sleeve an d clutch membersmounted thereon shown in section. Fig. 9 is an end view oftherollercontainingthe compensating-spring, and Fig. 10 is a'brokensectional view of said roller with its shaft and sprocket-wheel inelevation.

Referringnow to the drawings, the frame of the device is shown toconsist of uprights 1 2, forming the sides of the frame, which uprightsare connected at top and bottom by cross-pieces 3 t. A secondcross-piece 5, located about midway of the uprights, supports andextending inward from the spur-gear a small electric motor 6 for movingthe advertising-sheet 7 by means of mechanism hereinafter described.Said advertising-sheet has its opposite ends secured to rollers 89,1ocated, respectively, near the top and bottom of the frame. The upperroller 8 is fixed on a shaft 10, which is journaled at opposite ends inthe uprights 1 2 and at one end is provided with a fixed sprocket-wheel11. The roller 9 is loosely mounted upon a shaft 12, which also isjournaledat opposite ends in the uprights 1 2 and is provided at one endwith a fixed sprocket-wheel 13 in the same vertical plane as thesprocket-wheel 11. Secured on one end of the roller 9 is a cup-shapedsocket 14, through which the shaft 12 passes. lVithin this cupshapedsocket islocated a coiled-wire spring 15, one end of which is secured tothe shaft and the other end to the socket let. On the other end of thisroller is secured a simple face plate 16, having an aperture throughwhich the shaft 12 passes and by means of which the roller at this endis journaled on the said shaft. At the rear of the frame and beneaththecross-piece 5 I journal at its opposite ends in the uprights 1 2 a shaft17, which is screw-threaded throughout its length. At one end this shaftis provided with a fixed sprocket=wheel 1S and at its opposite end witha fixed gear-wheel 19. V Belowthe shaft 17 and in the same verticalplane therewith is a shaft 20, journaled at its opposite ends in theuprights and provided with a loose sprocket-wheel 21 in the same planewith but much smaller than the sprocket-wheel 18, with which it isconnected by means of a sprocket-chain 22, and with a spur-gear 23 inmesh with the gear-wheel 19. Extending inward from the sprocket-wheel 21is a pin 24, 23

is a pin 25. i Y

Slidably mounted on the shaft is a long sleeve 26, which is providedwith a longitudinal slot 27 to receive the head of a screw 28, screwedin the shaft 20, whereby said sleeve may have a longitudinal movement onthe said shaft, but is compelled to rotate therewith. On each end of thesleeve 26 is a fixed collar 29 30, projecting from the outer end of eachof which is a pin 31 32, which pins are adapted to engage with one orthe other of the pins 24: in the manner of a clutch by moving the sleeve26 over the shaft in one direction or the other. According as one or theother of these engagements is made the direction of rotation of thescrew-threaded shaft 17 is determined.

The shaft 20 is the driving-shaft and receives its motion from themotor-shaft 33 through the medium of a vertical shaft 34, mounted inbearings 35 on the upright 1 and having at its upper end a worm-wheel 36in gear with a worm on the motor-shaft and at its lower end a worm ingear with a wormwheel 37 on the end of the shaft 20.

The mechanism forautomatically effecting a reversal of movement of theshaft 17 will now be described.

Mounted upon the shaft 17 are two travelers 38 39, each of whichcomprises a cylindrical head 40 in screw-threaded engagement with theshaft, and a yoke 41, the arms of which straddle the sleeve 26, wherebythe travelers are prevented from rotating with the shaft 17. Pivotallymounted on a crosspiece 42 at the bottom and rear of the frame are twoarms 43 44, their pivots 45 46 being located about centrally of theirlength. These arms are vertically disposed, and their lower ends areconnected by a cross-bar 47. The upper end portions of said arms are inclose proximity to the sleeve 26 and project slightly above the same.The arms 43 44 are located at such distance apart that when thrown toone side or the other their upper ends will engage with the collar 29 orthe collar 30, as the case may be, to move the sleeve 26 into engagementwith one or the other of the clutch-pins at the end of the shaft 20. A

coiled-wire spring 48 is secured at one end to the cross-bar 47centrally of the latter and at its opposite end to the upper cross-piece3 of the frame. The arms 43 44 are thrown outward by the engagement ofone arm of each yoke 41 with one or the other as the travelers are movedalong by the rotation of the shaft 17, the arms 43 44 extending into thepath of movement of the outer arm of each of said travelers. Thus if theshaft 17 i be turning in a direction to cause the travelers ing thesleeve 26 to be moved to the left and j the clutch-pins at that end ofthe device to be brought into engagement; This will cause a reversal inthe direction of rotation of the shaft 17, and the travelers will nowmove toward the right until the traveler 39 has caused the arm 44 to bepressed outward far enough to allow the spring 48 to throw said armagainst the collar 30, which will move the sleeve 26 to the right andcause its clutchpin to be engaged by the clutch-pin of the spur-gear 23,which will operate to cause a reversal in the direction of movement ofthe shaft 17. In this latter position of the parts, which is indicatedby full lines, the shaft 17 is driven from the spur-gear 23 through themedium of the geanwheel 19. In the position of the parts indicated bydotted lines the shaft 17 is driven in the reverse direction from thesprocket-wheel 21 through the medium of the sprocket-chain 22 and thesprocket-wheel 18. The advertising-sheet 7 is given an intermittentmotion from the shaft 17 through the following means: On the end of theshaft 17 which extends through the upright 2 is a fixed sprocket-wheel49, while at each end of said upright is an idler-pulley 5O 51. Asprocket-chain 52 passes over the sprocket-wheel 49, by which it isdriven, and over said idler-pulleys. One of the links of this chain hasat one end an inward-extending lug 53. The shafts of the rollers 8 and 9also extend through the upright 2 and are each provided on their outerends with a sprocket-wheel 11 13. Over these sprocketwheels passes asprocket-chain 56. Four pairs of links in this sprocket-chain areprovided with curved fingers 57, said fingers projecting outwardly fromthe outer end of each link. of a pair. These pairs of links, which areindicated, respectively, by the numerals 58, 59, 60, and 61, are locatedat equal distances apart and are adapted to have one or the other oftheir fingers 57 engaged by the lug 53 to move the advertising-sheet.

The operation is as follows: The motor 6 being started, the threadedshaft 17 will be rotated in one direction or the other, according as itis driven by the sprocket-chain 22 or the spur-gear 23. The rotation ofthis shaft causes the sprocket-chain 52 to travel over the loose pulleys50 and 51 through the medium of the sprocket-wheel 49. Assuming that thechain 52 is traveling in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, the lug53 will engage the lower arm 57 of the link-section 58 and cause thesprocket-chain 56 to travel with it, thus rotating the rollers 8 9 andcausing the advertising-sheet 7 to be wound on the roller 8 and unwoundfrom the roller 9. This continues until the two links 58 have passedonto the sprocket-wheel 11, when the arm 57 will be drawn out ofengagement with the lug 53, and consequently the sprocket-chain 56 willcease to travel, permitting the advertisingsheet to remain stationary.The advertisements on said advertising-sheet are located at suchintervals thereon that this stoppage of the sheet will occur at a timewhen an advertisement thereon will have been carried to the properposition to be displayed at the front of the device. Theadvertising-sheet will remain stationary while the lug 53 travels overthe pulley 50, the sprocket-wheel 49, and the pulley 51 and passes upinto engagement with the lower arm 57 of the link-section 59, which inthe 'previous movement of the sprocket-chain 56 will have been broughtto IOC.

the position formerly occupied by the linksection 58, after which thesprocket-chain 56 will be carried along by the lug 43 until thelink-section 59 has passed onto the sprocketwheel 11. This movement ofthe sprocketchain 56 will thus occur, as will be readily understood, ineach complete traverse of the lug 53 over the path of movement of thesprocket-chain 52, said lug engaging in suceession the arms on thelink-sections 58, 59, 60, and 61 and with each engagement imparting aquarter-rotation to the sprocketchain 56 to bring a fresh advertisementinto place. Sufficient time elapses between each movement of thesprocket-chain 56 to permit the advertisement displayed to be read orexamined.

In order to insure the proper engagement -of the lug 53 with the severalarms 57 I rovide a rail 62 on the outside of the upright 2 and withinthe sprocket-chain 56. Said rail extends nearly the entire distancebetween the sprocket-wheels 11 13 and is so disposed as to cause thesprocket-chain 56 to travel in contact with its inner side, or the sideopposed to the lug 53, when it is in the act of engaging one of the arms57, so that on this side the said sprocket-chain is compelled to travelin a true vertical path and is prevented from yielding inwardly when thelug 53 engages one of the arms 57. It will be understood that in thetravel of the sprocket-chain 52 in the reverse direction to thatdescribed the lug 53 will engage with the upper arm 57 of eachlink-section in turn, and the disengagement will occur when thelink-section passes onto the sprocket-wheel 13. Thus in the position ofthe parts shown in Fig. 2 if the direction of rotation of sprocket chain52 were reversed the lug 53 would travel around pulley 51,sprocket-wheel 49, and pulley 50, and then engage the upper arm 57 oflinksection 58. The manner of and mechanism for reversing the directionof rotation of shaft 17 have already been described, and this reversaloccurs when the requisite length of the advertising-sheet has been woundon one or the other roller 8 9. The frequency with which the movement ofthe sheet is reversed is determined by adjusting the travelers 38 39 onthe shaft 17that is to say, the nearer together these travelers areplaced the longer the shaft 17 will rotate in one direction, and viceversa.

In assembling the rollers 8 9 in the device the shaft 12 is first givena few turns to partly wind up the spring 15, after which thesprocket-chain 56 is placed about the sprocketwheels 11 13, so that saidshafts can now only move in unison. It being assumed that the sheet iswound on the roller 9, said roller will of course present a greatercircumference than the roller 8, and ordinarily as the rollers wererevolved to unwind from roller 9 and wind on roller 8 more of the sheetwould be unwound from roller 9 than would be wound upon roller 8, andconsequently the sheet would sag between the rollers. lVith myimprovement,however,thisslackwillbe taken up by the gradual unwinding ofthe spring 15, which will cause the roller 9 to revolvein a reversedirection to that of its shaft. This will continue until the diametersof the two rollers are equal, at which time the spring will have amoderate tension. In the further movement of the parts in the samedirections the roller 8 will. gradually increase in diameter and willtend to wind up a greater length of sheet than without my improvementwould be unwound from the roller 9. As it is, however, the roller 9 mayturn 011 its shaft 12 to give off this extra amount, which results,however, in winding up the spring 15. When the direction of rotation ofthe rollers S 9 is reversed after the sheet has been wound on the rollersaid roller 8 will tend to give off a greater amount of the sheet thanwould be wound upon the roller 9; but as the spring 15 has been wound upit will now unwind and thus rotate the roller 9 sufficiently to take upthe slack, and this will continue until the diameters of the two rollersare equal and the power of the spring is again moderate. The roller 9now begins to increase in diameter and to require more of the sheet thanthe roller 8 can unwind, and consequently the only result can be toagain wind up the spring 15 to a greater or less extent. Thus the spring15 is alternately wound and unwound, being wound in one direction ofmovement by the excess of movement of the shaft 12 over the roller 9 andin the opposite direction by the excess of movement of the roller 9 overthe shaft 12. In the complete movement of the sheet in eitherdirectionthat is to say, in winding it from one roller onto theother-the spring 15 will first be unwound and then wound up again, andthis will continue as long as the device is keptin operation. Thus Iprovide for automatically taking up the slack in the sheet in a simplebut reliable and efiective manner.

It will be understood that I contemplate inclosing this device in theusual or any preferred manner in a casing having a suitableview-opening. As'I intend the device primarily for use in street-railwaycars, it is within the purview of my invention to have the device builtas a part of the car constructionthat is, to utilize the innerornamental framework of the car as the casing.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In adevice of the character described, the combination with two spacedrollers having the ends of an advertising-sheet secured thereto, ofdriving mechanism comprising a threaded shaft and clutch mechanism,means actuated by said driving mechanism for imparting an intermittentrotation to said rollers, compensating mechanism carried by one of saidrollers for regulating the feed of the sheet and means adapted to travelon said shaft and to operate said clutch mechanism for automaticallyreversing the direction of rotation of said rollers.

2. In a device of the character described, the combinationwith twospaced rollers having the ends of an advertising-sheet secured thereto,of driving mechanism comprising a threaded shaft and clutch mechanism,means actuated by said driving mechanism for imparting an intermittentrotation to said rollers, compensating mechanism carried by one of saidrollers for regulating the feed of the sheet and travelers adjustablymounted on said shaft and adapted to operate said clutch mechanism forautomatically reversing the direction of rotation of said rollers.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with twospaced rollers having the ends of an advertising-sheet secured thereto,of driving mechanism comprising a threaded shaft and clutch mechanism,pivotally-mounted spring-controlled impact-arms for operating saidclutch mechanism and a traveler mounted on said shaft and adapted toengage one or the other of said impactarms to move it to a positionwhere its spring will operate to throw it into contact with the clutchand thereby operate the latter.

4:. In adevice of the character described, the combination with twospaced rollers having the ends of an advertising-sheet secured thereto,of driving mechanism comprising a threaded shaft'and clutch mechanism,and said clutch mechanism comprising a longitudinally-movable sleevehaving at its ends stops, a pair of pivotally-mounted andpivotally-connected sprin g-controlled impact-arms for operating saidclutch mechanism and a pair of travelers adjustably mounted on saidshaft and adapted in the movement of the latter to engage one or theother of said impact-arms and move the same to a position where itsspring will operate to throw it into engagement with the stop on one endof said sleeve to operate the clutch mechanism and simultaneouslywithdraw the other of said arms out of contact with the stop at theother end of said sleeve.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with twospaced rollers having the ends of an advertising-sheet secured theretoand provided at corresponding ends with a sprocket-wheel, of asprocket-chain mounted on said wheels and provided at equidistant pointswith arms, driving mechanism including a sprocket-chain mounted totravel at one side in proximity to one side of said first-namedsprocket-chain, and a lug carried by said second named sprocket chainand adapted to engage in succession the said arms, whereby to impart anintermittent rotation to said rollers.

6. Ina device of the character described, the combination with twospaced rollers having the ends of an advertising-sheet secured theretoand provided at corresponding ends with a sprocket-wheel, of' asprocket-chain mounted on said wheels and provided at equidistant pointswith arms, a loose pulley mounted adjacent to each of saidsprocketwheels,driving mechanism including a driven sprocket wheel, asecond sprocket chain mounted to travel over said loose pulleys and saiddriven sprocket-wheel and at one side in proximity to one side of saidfirst-named sprocketchain, and a lug carried by said second-namedsprocket-chain and adapted to engage in succession the said arms,whereby to impart an intermittent rotation to said rollers.

'7. In a device of the character described, the combinationwith twospaced rollers having the ends of an advertising-sheet secured thereto,of driving mechanism.comprising a driving-shaft, having at opposite endsloose clutch members, a sliding sleeve mounted on said driving-shaft torotate therewith and adapted to coact at its ends with said clutchmembers, a screw-threaded shaft mounted parallel to said driving shaft,oppositelyoperatin g gearing connecting the ends of said screw-threadedshaft with said clutch members, a stop at each end of said sleeve, apair of pivoted, spring-controlled arms adapted to be thrown intoengagement, respectively, with one or the other of said stops, and atraveler mounted on said screw threaded shaft and adapted to engage saidarms, the combination operating as described.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with twospaced rollers having the ends of an advertising-sheet secured theretoof driving mechanism comprising a driving-shaft having at opposite endsloose clutch members, a sliding sleeve mounted on said driving shaft torotate therewith and adaptedto coact at its ends with said clutchmembers, a screw threaded shaft mounted operating gearing connecting theends of said screw-threaded shaft with said clutch members, a stop ateach end of said sleeve, a pair of pivoted arms adapted to be thrown atone end into engagement, respectively, with one or the other of saidstops, a link connecting the opposite ends of said arms, a coiled springconnected at one end to said link and at its other to the frame of thedevice, and a pair of travelers adjustably mounted on said screwthreadedshaft and adapted to engage said arms, the combination operating asdescribed.-

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN D. SMITH.

WVitnesses:

TOM O. BRADLEY, J. ROBINSON.

